One Shelf Does Plenty
by RiddleMeThis15
Summary: The Professor tries DIY. Suffice to say...it does not go well.Purple thumbs and a confused apprentice ensue. Don't forget to R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Sooo...another idea popped into my head and it would not leave. So here it is.I hope you guys like it! Please review and if you can, check out my other fics.I recently finished my Professor Layton story 'The Finches Of London' and I'd be really interested in what you guys have to say about it. Also, if you have any requests for PL fics, either PM me or you can mention it in a review. Anyways ... 'Til the next time!**

**-RiddleMeThis15**

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DIY was not his forte. But Rosa had simply demanded that he put a shelf up, as 'his room was on the brink of collapse'.Well, the professor thought, _he_ was on the brink of collapse...surely a shelf could not be so complicated to build?.The instructions baffled him...why the need for so many pages?.Still, onwards and upwards...or so he thought.

Halfway into his mission, professor layton decided that a shelf needed to be straight. Also more ideally, to not fall from the wall when a single, let alone paperback, book was placed onto it. He huffed, adjusting his top hat and resting his chin on his hand.

"This is most puzzling..." He tried to keep his focus, scrutinising the pages as he would a puzzle. The professor read through the instructions again, rigorously comparing the diagrams with...could he call it a shelf?.Maybe if he adjusted its angle like so- "Professor!" The door slammed open, the blustery wind sending papers scattering like leaves caught in a storm. The figure of Luke Triton, the professor's self proclaimed number one apprentice, rushed into the office with a shout loud enough to startle the usually calm man. A less than dignified, strangled cry escaped the professor, as he was sent sprawling backwards, his feet skidding on the paint mixing tray and the 'shelf' toppling down onto his head. The almighty crash it made did not sound at all good. The boy stood amidst the ruined office, his eyes shut and teeth gritted.

Once the dust had settled, mostly on the professor, he unsteadily rose to his feet. Paint coated his shoes and his top hat was thrown at an odd angle from where the wood had knocked it. He awaited an explanation in a silent rage as he brushed the dust from his shoulders.

"Um...er..." Luke twiddled his thumbs, looking anywhere but the professor "What are you doing professor?"

His mentor muttered "I _was_ putting a shelf up"

"A shelf?"

"Yes"

Neither said anything for a tense moment. The professor at last breathed in and regained some of his composure "And my boy? What caused such a...dramatic entrance?"

The boy wandered over to the tea pot, subconsciously pouring two cups, "I...solved the puzzle you gave me! About the apples?"

Layton nodded, placing the shelf back onto the wall "Ah yes, very good indeed"

Luke grinned, pleased with the professor's reaction, but his face clouded over as he saw what his mentor was building

"Um professor?" He started.

"Yes Luke?" The professor replied, holding a nail in place and grabbing the hammer off his nearby desk, one last glance at the diagram...

"Why are you reading the instructions upside down?"

The hammer swung in the air.A sharp, muffled, shout rang out. The hammer had missed its target. Luke shut his eyes as the professor, dropping the hammer with a clang, clutched at his now purple thumb. With a noise that resembled a whimper, the man sank down into a rather welcoming tartan armchair.

"Here" Luke placed the steaming cup of tea onto a coaster "Just sit down a minute.I'll look at the instructions...I'm sure it'll be as easy as puzzle solving professor!"

But his friend could only offer a slight nod, wincing as he made a reach for the tea cup "That, my boy, was what I thought"

* * *

Luke Triton threw the instructions down with an agitated huff.

"It's written wrong!" He exclaimed, glaring accusingly at the plank of wood.

The professor chuckled "Luke, I don't think that it is written wrong...perhaps we are reading it too much"

The boy folded his arms and tilted his head, concentrating so much that he jumped when his mentor tapped him on the shoulder.

"Luke..." The professor motioned for the boy to leave the room as he pulled on his own jacket.

"Where are we going professor? Don't we need to put the shelf up?"

"I suggest we both have a break" his mentor smiled and closed the door on the offending scene. Then the two strolled down the corridor, out of the university doors and caught the bus into London.

* * *

Meanwhile, Flora Reinhold arrived at gressenheller and skipped up the steps, her boots clicking on the concrete. She smiled timidly when her eyes met with Dean Delmona's.

"Flora!" He greeted, holding the door open for her "How are you my dear?"

"I am very well thank you, have you seen the professor?" She asked, holding the cake tin up proudly "I made him some buns"

Delmona grinned "Last time I checked, he was putting a shelf up in his office"

"Ok, thank you Mr Delmona!" At that she wandered into the university, making a beeline for the professors's office. Certain that he would be inside, she turned the handle "Profess-" frowning, Flora realised the door was locked "huh?"

"You just missed him"

Startled, Flora whipped around. Rosa was humming happily, dusting a small statue near the window.

"He...went out?"

Rosa nodded.

"Oh." Flora peered at the floor, unsure of what to do._Why was the professor always dashing off everywhere?_ She had called him that very morning to tell him she would be visiting him at lunch!

Rosa seemed to sense Flora's upset "I can let you into his office if you want to wait for him"

At this Flora lit up "Oh would you?"

"Of course, I need to clean it anyway"

The woman pulled out a key and opened the door.

"Good heavens..." She muttered once the office was revealed "What on earth has he been doing?"

Flora gazed in, curious at what had stunned the cleaner. The professor's room was a mess. Papers littered the floor, covering most of the carpet, and a bag of nails lay open, its contents scattered around a plank of wood. Tutting, Rosa began to dust and move things into neat piles. Flora peered closely at a piece of paper she had picked up. It read:

_DIY for dummies : building a shelf._

Frowning, she grabbed the wood and a handful of nails. After staring intensely at the diagram, she reached for the hammer.

"How hard can building a shelf be?" She mumbled.

* * *

The professor and Luke had long calmed down since...the ordeal. In fact, the professor had a solution to his shelf problem. Although, his solution was different to Luke's, who suggested not actually building the 'pointless and ridiculous thing' . As the boy had so accurately put.

The two had only just strode confidently back inside the university, when Dean Delmona caught their attention "Hershel, Luke!" He hurried over to them, dismissing a student "Flora is waiting for you in your office, where have you been?"

The professor pulled the brim of hit hat over his at his eyes. Embarassed by his mistake. Flora had called him this morning to let him know she was going to share lunch with him and Luke. How could he have forgotten?.The professor blinked out of his daze "Oh...er, thank you, I will go see her now"

The man smiled suspiciously before letting them pass with a wave of his hand.

The professor grimaced...he was not looking forward to this conversation. In his minds eye, Layton could already see her, eyes full of sadness and dissapointment. He had broken a rule every gentleman vowed to keep, never keep a lady waiting. Luke looked up to the pale-faced professor "Are you feeling alright professor?...you look a bit pale"

"I'm fine my boy" he slowed down before the door "Just not looking forward to explaining this to Flora"

Turning the handle, the duo walked hesitantly in. However, the sight that greeted them was not a fuming Flora, tapping her foot and demanding an explanation. On the contrary, it was a tidy office, not a speck of dust in sight. Rosa and Flora were giggling together on the sofa. The latter smiled up at them "Professor! You're just in time for cake!"

Flora handed them a tin of buns, each with a colourful icing decorating it. The professor and Luke exchanged a nervous glance before they chose a cake.

"Would you like a cup of tea you two?" Flora asked, setting the tin down on the tea table.

"We would appreciate that Flora, thank you" The professor replied, relieved at the nice atmosphere.

"You know..." Flora began.

_Here we go_...Luke thought, edging gingerly behind his mentor and, in the current situation, protector.

"That shelf is really useful" she pointed to the item in question "it holds lots of books and artefacts"

"Huh?" The professor and Luke stood baffled at the now safe, working, shelf.

"Flora...?"

"Yes professor?"

"How did you...?"

"I read the instructions and followed the diagram, although I only needed to glance at them. It was simple to set up really."

"You read the instructions..."

"And followed the diagram..." Luke finished the professors sentence.

Both were watching the shelf intently as if it had spoken. Rosa hit the professor with her duster, causing him to jump "Your office was an absolute mess professor! Flora and I were all afternoon clearing it up"

"Well..." The professor sat down next to Luke "Thanks to Flora's DIY skills, it should be tidier now."

Rosa grinned "Yes.A shelf was a good idea of mine!"

The professor accepted his tea with a smile "Yes, it was Rosa"

"So, I went and bought you some more. One shelf may not be enough"

Luke choked on his tea and the professor coughed awkwardly, firmly adding "One shelf...does plenty, Rosa"

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**A/N : Don't forget to review! :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Ok so this was supposed to be a oneshot but I couldn't resist. I am still working on the lawless walk so keep checking in on that. Hopefully you will enjoy this and please leave a review I love reading them :) thanks! **

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"You know professor...you should probably redecorate"

Layton nearly spat out his tea at Flora's comment. He remembered the shelf incident and gulped, wincing at the thought. He subconsciously stared at his, now back to normal, thumb.

"I don't particularly see the need for it myself, Flora" The professor managed.

The girl smiled timidly, lacing her fingers together. Ever since she had tackled the shelf, Flora had begun to take more notice for interior design. The professor knew she had always enjoyed creativity and for what she lacked in cooking, apparently she gained in decorating. Although, he reasoned, putting a shelf up was different to wallpapering. The professor was just about explain this to her, when Luke piped up from the kitchen,

"I think Flora has a point professor"

The man gaped at both children. _Did his home really look that bad?._ Regrettably his work often meant he didn't see much of it, with numerous adventures also postponing dragging old paint pots and brushes down from the attic. He coughed awkwardly, suddenly seeing the peeling brown paper and boring cream paints that no longer were bright, but a discoloured yellow.

"Professor?" Flora asked, her eyes full of hope.

He sighed. The poor girl probably did have a point. After all, this was not his home entirely. It was Flora's as well and he supposed, Luke's to an extent. The two were more than likely to be sick of its..simplicity and well..._retro_ looking style. Forcing a smile, he gave in "B&amp;Q then?"

Both jumped up, racing for their coats and shoes and discussing rather animatedly what paper they should pick.

_Good heavens...Luke did not just suggest purple?._

XxxxxxXxxxxX

The store was surprisingly quiet. Apparently everyone shared the same opinion as the professor. He reached for a trolley and wheeled it down the aisles, aware of the grey flooring squeaking below their shoes.A nice neutral, modern, calming paper would do the trick. Or a cream with a nice pattern on it...not too busy though. Rounding the corner, the professor stopped in his tracks. It was never ending. Rows upon rows of paint. Hundreds of shades of one colour, all with ridiculously strange titles. And the wallpaper...it ranged from stripes to space. Luke and flora beamed, excitedly dashing to the nearest shelf.

Oh goodness...there were _shelves_.

_Higher and more terrifying than mine_ the professor thought, gripping the trolley handle just that bit tighter. The three wandered down the aisle before Flora gasped and pointed to a paint pot.

Luke joined her and read the name aloud "Fuscia?"

Layton grimaced "Pink might be a bit too...lively for a reception room Flora,"

Nodding, Flora carefully placed the vibrant colour back. Luke meanwhile, reached for a deep blue.

"I don't think blue either Luke, we'd lose you!" The professor laughed, helping his apprentice lift the heavy can back onto the shelf. It was then that they heard it.A tremendous crash as the trolley careered into a colour chart. The professor winced, he must have knocked it when he lifted the paint pot back.

All three braced themselves as the stand wobbled dangerously close to the paints lining the aisle. It finally came to a stop and all three let out a sigh of relief. The professor guided his companions away from the paint and to the wallpaper.

_Surely nothing_ _remotely dangerous could happen there_ he thought_...lethal paper cuts maybe._

Luke pointed to a sheet of paper that was entitled 'Afternoon tea'. It apparently resembled earl grey in its colour. Flora also noticed the paper and clapped her hands "Thats definitely something for you professor!"

He smiled "Yes, that does suit my taste I must say,"

Flora and luke carefully removed the wallpaper and placed it into the trolley.

The professor began to wheel the trolley down the aisle, smiling to himself. They had found some wallpaper and evaded trouble!

The professor addressed the children "You know this shopping trip has reminded me of a puzzle."

Luke and flora waited in anticipation.

Layton continued "A man decided to paint the wall near to his house. The wall was 5 metres by 4 metres. One tin of paint costs £5 although if more than three tins are bought-"

"Professor!" Luke and Flora shouted in unison.

The professor gasped, tripping over a plant pot and letting go of the trolley that wheeled rather rapidly away.

"Are you alright? Professor?" Flora cried as she and Luke ran to the man's side.

Mortified layton replied "Yes...how embarrassing.I suppose it could've been worse though,"

At that precise moment a resounding crash echoed around the shop. Staff and customers ran for the exits in panic. The professor turned hesitantly in the direction of the noise. Like dominos every shelf was brought down with a crash as loud as the one before it. The profesor sat with his mouth agape, face the colour of scarlet as the DIY store was reduced to a pile of metal.

Finally, the noise stopped and the shop was completely silent. He shut his eyes.

"Professor?"

"...Yes my boy?"

"It could have been worse,"

Layton whipped around to face the boy, frowning at him...just as a tin of paint toppled over and covered him in a bright Fuscia.

"No Luke...it couldn't."

xxx

A/N Make sure you review! X


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